Sneak Peaks

CP1 - Rifugio Vajolet

The expedition begins in the beautiful city of Bolzano. After leaving the valley, riders will immediately climb to 2,250m. The legs then get a chance to recover on a long on-road descent before another 11 km climb up to the first checkpoint Rifugio Vajolet. The climb starts out on tarmac and becomes (adventure) gravel 3 km before the summit. It's a tough start, but SO worth it! Already, riders will know if they are ready for this ‘out of this world’ adventure or not.

CP2 - Rifugio Conseria

As the road to Rifugio Vajolet is a dead-end, this section is an ‘out and back’, with riders descending on the same route and then turning south towards Predazzo. Riders are advised to save their legs on this tarmac stretch, because the climb after Predazzo starts out at 20 %! This is a particularly tough and beautiful off-road climb. Riders will pass Rifugio Baita Monte Cauriol and can stop here for a delicious pasta. The food is amazing - Do NOT miss out!Before the climb to Rifugio Conseria,you will have to cross a big scree field. This is one of the few sections where riding won't be possible. When riders start the final climb to CP2 (averaging 7 % gradient) it will feel like a walk in the park, considering what their legs have already endured so early on.

CP3 - Rifugio Scarpa

After getting their brevet card stamped at Rifugio Conseria, riders will enjoy a super fast descent. CAUTION - fast riders might be able to go the speed of light! From here, 4.000m of climbing in the next 100 km has to be faced. It sounds brutal, but don’t panic, it's all rideable and a very accessible part of the route, with many secondary paved roads and solid gradients.

CP4 - Rifugio Antelao

There are three major climbs to get to CP4. Each climb has a similar difficulty - 1000m per 10 km elevation gain. As those legs get heavy and tired, a choice of low gearing will help make the rest of the race more manageable (and enjoyable). Rifugio Antelao will be hosted by two gents from Nepal and Italy. These guys are the most hospitable people you could wish to meet, and will treat you with the very best Italian food and friendship.

CP5 - Rifugio Giacomo di Brazza

The route continues East, meandering along a beautiful mountain range, until riders reach Tolmezza, but beware, some serious climbing will be involved. In case you slowly feel the fatigue, always remember - what goes up MUST come down, resulting in some incredible descents. Riding down to Tolmezzo will be one of the highlights of the route, passing a never-ending tunnel system.Riding along the river Fela, riders will get their first glimpse of the azure blue water that the Soca River is so famous for. The final climb to Rifugio Giacomo di Brazza starts with a solid gradient, before getting steep on tarmac and then even steeper on the last off-road section. Again, it's a brutal, but rewarding climb (aren’t they all?!)

CP6 - Postarški dom na Vršiču

Here, riders now enter Slovenian territory. Bovec is a good stop for ‘real’ food in supermarkets (generally quite rare throughout the entire route). The next memorable highlight is waiting at the Stol pass. It's another 1.000 m elevation gain climb on an old military road, not too steep, but pretty rugged at times. This also marks the halfpoint of the Adventure route.Kobarid is a small town with good, solid resupply options. We highly suggest you fill your bags here, because the longest climb of the race awaits you. Riders will ride along the beautiful Soča river for the first gentle part of the climb. When they cross the river, they will face 22 switchbacks until the top of the Vršič Pass, the highest pass in Slovenia.

CP7 - Rifugio Cason di Lanza

After a long tarmac stretch things get wild on the descent from Vršič Pass. Most downhills of the race will be on tarmac, as many gravel roads can get rough and we wanted to give riders the chance to recover, considering the vast amount of climbing they will have to endure. But the off-road descent on Vršič Pass is easily rideable and super beautiful. Riders are now on their return to Bolzano. The route primarily follows a straight line towards the west. However, just to spice things up, we included some short (but brutal) detours into the mountains (quite sneaky of us, don’t you think?)

CP8 - Rifugio Marinelli

Welcome to the Carnic Alps! This area is very remote area and finding food especially at night might be challenging. Water however, is widely available from fountains throughout the entire route. This section includes a fairly difficult hike a bike section of almost 3 km. The downhill is a bit sketchy at first, but riders can quickly accelerate to high speed on the tarmac. These easy kilometers ‘ain't for long, however. Riders will soon exit the tarmac to another gravel path until Rifugio Marinelli. This section is definitely one of our highlights and a definite favourite!

CP9 - Rifugio Pier Fortunato Calvi

A typical Sneak Peaks section! A long downhill on tarmac, a quick loop through the valley and another climb up to a Rifugio. As pure as it gets. Try the traditional pasta from Regina in the Rifugio!

CP10 - Silianer Hütte

Riders will now enter the region of Veneto, and only 54 km to the next CP. But this section will take longer than expected. Before being treated with a double espresso at the Filianer Hütte, there is a 15 km singletrack to tackle first. This part is mostly rideable, but the high level of fatigue at this point of the event might force some riders for a longer hike a bike.

CP11 - Rifugio Fanes

The route continues eastwards before going south after Tre Cime di Lavaredo. Since riding is strictly forbidden there we couldn't design the route to go straight through the National Park, but riders always have a great view of the magnificent scenery. The climb to the last checkpoint could easily be in the vast mountain ranges that I discovered at the Silk Road Mountain Race in Kyrgyzstan. If you have gotten this far, sit down, take a deep breath, have a last espresso (or two), eat a proper meal and enjoy staying together with your fellow riders. Rifugio Fanes will be the last CP. Think about the endless memories and lifelong friendships you have forged over the last few days and be proud of yourself. You will now enter the final stretch of the expedition.

Start & Finish - Bolzano

Even though riders have ticked off all CPs, there are still some major challenges on the last stretch of the expedition. There are 8 more climbs to cross, including another 5.000 metres of climbing before finally receiving their coveted "Sneek Peaks" approval in Bolzano.

Manifesto

Let’s start with the most important rule of life: don’t be an asshole! If you are doing a good job in that, the following lines will be easy for you to respect.

# 1 LEAVE NO TRACE & AND RESPECT THE ENVIRONMENT
‍1.1 Leave nature unchanged. Don’t take anything from it, and don’t leave anything along the way.
1.2 A #noflightride rule will be applied, meaning you must not travel to the departure location by air travel.
1.3 You’ll most likely see animals during your ride. Be quiet, stay back and let them go their way.
1.4 Our philosophy is to come together freed from xenophobia and the resulting abstract views which are expressed in nationalism, racism, sexism and discrimination in any form. If you don’t agree, you better stay way.

‍# 2 RIDE EQUALLY, BE SELF-SUFFICIENT
‍2.1 All forward travel overland must be human powered.
2.2 You are allowed to ride together as well as spending time and MENTALLY support each other.
2.3 No third party outside assistance! All food, drinks and equipment must be carried with you or acquired at commercially available services. Plan your route appropriately, check for resupply points and opening hours beforehand.
2.4 Booking or organizing any logistic support before the departure is not allowed.
2.5 No friends and family support en-route.
2.6 No en-route service is provided by the organizer.
2.7 Riders may accept legitimate unplanned offers of food, drink or shelter but must not go looking for it. Any help received must not be solicited in any way. Help is regarded as trail magic if any other riders would have the same possibility to receive this kind of assistance.

‍# 3 FOLLOW THE ROUTE
‍3.1 Follow the route that you registered for from departure to finish.
3.2 You can temporarily leave the route (to find food, rest, etc), but you must return to the same point you left off to continue the ride.
3.3 No shortcuts. Trust us, it doesn’t feel good.

‍# 4 ONE ACTIVITY, BUT NO TIME LIMIT
‍4.1 It´s a single stage bikepacking expedition. The clock does not stop and you decide whether to rest or continue riding.
4.2 We will consider ALL finishers in the overall classification no matter how long the ride took, as long as all rules had been respected.

‍# 5 MAINTAIN EVIDENCE OF YOUR RIDE
‍5.1 You are equipped with a SPOT tracker to record your ride for the overall classification.
5.2 We might require to check the GPX of your ride in case of disputes or missing dots.

# 6 RIDE SAVELY AND RESPONSIBLY
‍6.1 Helmet, front/ rear lights + spare are mandatory.
6.2 A reflective vest must be worn when riding at night.
6.3 Watch out for others when sharing the same path. Reduce speed and give them a smile.
6.4 You must know and observe all local traffic laws.
6.5 You must have a valid liability, death, accident and health insurance valid during the event that covers emergency extraction and repatriation insurance..

Your questions, our answers

Where/ when is the departure/ finish?

Departure/ finish: Bolzano Accreditation and briefing: September 4th 2024 for ADVENTURE riders; September 5th 2024 for ENTREE & CLASSIC riders Official departure ADVENTURE: September 5th 2024, Official departure ENTREE & CLASSIC: September 6th 2024

Why FLINTA* tickets?

By offering FLINTA* tickets at all Orbit360 events, we want to pave the way for diversity & inclusion in cycling and explicitly encourage FLINTA* people to participate. In addition, we would like to use the FLINTA* tickets to compensate for the existing gender pay gap in Germany, being aware, that not all groups of people covered by the FLINTA* term are affected by this, but that we generally see them as disadvantaged in the patriachart.

What’s the cut off time?

We don’t like that term cut off. The term suggests a defeat of all participants who finish, just not in a given time. But as we all know time is really a designated, non-spatial dimension of spacetime, and time has no existence independent of space (Einstein agreed). What does that mean? Time dilates, or moves slower, in space than on the Earth. And who the hell knows if Sneak Peaks might transport you to the edges of YOUR outer space. THEREFORE, EVERY PARTICIPANT WHO RETURNS TO BOLZANO FOLLOWING THE OFFICIAL ROUTE AND RULES WILL BE A SNEAK PEAKS APPROVED FINISHER. We would love to stay in Bolzano forever (or at least until the very last rider crosses the finish line) and give a big hug to every one of you (we do good hugs!). BUT as we all have other jobs, we can “only” stay in Bolzano until 14 DAYS after the departure. A finisher party is planned, (more details on that prior to the event). Your decision to take part should not be based on a crazy ambitious cut off. Indeed, the Lanterne Rouge is the MVP anyway.

Will there be any escape points?

Yes, we will provide return routes back to Bolzano for everyone who will not be able to finish (for whatever reason). The return routes will be available after the last scouting/ check up trip, early summer 2024.

Is there a mandatory kit list?

Yes, we want you to be safe and sound. Therefore, we require you to bring • two front lights • two rear lights • emergency blanket • helmet • reflective jacket

Can I help/ volunteer?

Ohhhhh we would love that! But we don’t want to get your help and not give back. Write us a mail to sneakpeaks@orbit360.cc and we will call you!

Where can I leave my luggage?

We are trying to find a location for all riders to leave their luggage. More info tbd.

What if I get lost?

If you follow the GPS route provided by us you should be safe and sound. However, if anything happens, try to find the route on your GPS or your phone (please download off-line maps on your phone before the departure). It’s kind of the game to get lost and find a solution: Self-sufficiency consists of using your own means to solve your own problems. In the event that you find yourself in a life-threatening situation, check your SPOT tracker and activate the SOS function. If you are within cellular reception, please call us immediately. Contact information will be given during the rider briefings and will be printed on your brevet card. If none of these options are available to you, due to tracker malfunction, you will need to find your own assistance. We do not want to discourage you from using the SOS function on your tracker, but please keep in mind that we take distress signals very seriously and getting help to the location of the incident often requires massive coordination by the organization. Please think carefully before using this function and use the SOS only in a life-threatening situation. We will not be able to establish the reason for the SOS call until someone is physically on location.

When will I get the final route?

The scouting is done. But there’s still plenty of time until the departure of Sneak Peaks. Therefore, we’ll go back and do one last check up in early summer. We will send you the official GPS file and the roadbook in plenty of time for your departure.

Is it easy to find food and water?

If you prepare the route properly you will have no problem finding plenty of water and food. But remember, try to self-serve food for a day and refill your bottles whenever you can.

Will there be any check points?

Yes, yes and of course yes. The checkpoints are one of the fundamental parts of the expedition. We decided to work together with the traditional Rifugios (high-elevation mountain huts) as they are the perfect location to recover, exchange stories and gather new energy for the next big, big climb. All Rifugios offer super delicious food at a reasonable price and most of them have overnight stay options. More info TBD.

What is the route like?

Sneak Peaks is an adventure gravel event. The gravel in the Dolomites and Triglav Mountain is pretty rugged. There are some Singletracks that are mostly rideable. Then you will cross two shorter hike-a-bike sections that may even bring a smile to your face. We recommend riding at least on 45 mm tires with easy gearing.

Is it a fixed route or is it free routing?

Sneak Peaks will be a fixed route with mandatory checkpoints (Rifugios) to pass. If at some point the way is blocked by something unexpected (e.g. roadworks, landfalls, trees on the path etc.) you can leave the track but you must rejoin it as soon as possible.

Can I book overnight stays before the departure?

According to rule # 2, you are not allowed to book any logistics, overnight stays or other amenities in advance.

What if I have mechanical problems?

That’s kinda part of the game. Try to fix them yourself. If this is not possible, go to a mechanic using any possible means of transport and then return to exactly the same point where you left the route.

Can my family and friends cheer me en-route?

Since third party outside assistance is not allowed, we will be happy to welcome your family and friends at the departure and finish line in Bolzano to hang out with us.

What about media coverage?

There are no media licenses required for participants as the only media coverage comes from the organizers side. There are no media cars allowed to follow and film individual riders. All media content will be covered by the organizing team.

What about a bursary?

With Orbit360, we have already been running a “Super OrbiterIn” bursary since the very beginning. The bursary is designed to make all Orbit360 events, including Sneak Peaks, more inclusive and open to those what otherwise could not afford to explore, introduce new people to the event and the community and tell new stories from under-represented or seldom hear voices.

Sneak Peaks is a single-nonstop stage. What does that mean?

The clock does not stop after departure until you cross the finish line in Bolzano. While you are standing, sitting or lying to rest, eat or sleep, the clock will continue to tick, so good planning, strategy and knowledge about yourself is key to being a finisher.

Why Bolzano as departure/ finish line?

We snuk around looking for an area that provides a high level of adventure riding. Living in Berlin, we appreciate the cultural advantages this metropolis brings into our lives, but organzing a bikepacking event here could be pretty unappealing. Bolzano seems to be the perfect spot for a bikepacking expedition of a lifetime, while accessible by train, car or even bike. The city is beautiful and provides all amenities that you could wish for before heading out an adventure.

What is important for us as organizers?

“Counteract thinking as far as your own garden fence” With Sneak Peaks we are striving to • create a bikepacking expedition for other people to give them a good time, build friendships with like-minded folks and test your own limits. • raise awareness for a more sustainable life, because all of our actions matter (on and off the bike). • improving diversity, equality and inclusion in cycling.

What exactly is Sneak Peaks?

We call it a bikepacking expedition. Some riders will race it, others will try to finish. Both approaches are equal in our minds and we will cheer you on either way.

Why another bikepacking event?

We started with bikepacking (events) in 2019. The spirit was slightly different back then. Bikepacking has boomed and media coverage, sponsorships and competitive cycling have evolved. We are trying to find a way with the right amount of media coverage, sponsorships and competitive cycling while giving under-represented groups a voice and take action against the overall climate crisis that affects us all (unfortunately some more than others).

SNEAK PEAKS

About the project

The Route(s)

The Check Points